1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector housing with a retainer for redundantly locking terminal fittings in the connector housing. The connector housing and the retainer are designed to prevent an inadvertent movement of the retainer to a full locking position before the terminal fittings are inserted in the connector housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known connector housing is identified by the numeral 1 in FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B) and also is disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-50382. The connector housing 1 has a housing main body 2 with cavities 3 and terminal fittings T inserted in the cavities 3. A retainer insertion opening 4 is formed in a surrounding wall of the housing main body 2 and crosses the cavities 3. A retainer 5 can be inserted into the retainer insertion opening 4 for locking the terminal fittings T in the cavities 3.
The retainer 5 is inserted in the housing main body 2 in advance and is locked in a xe2x80x9cpartial locking positionxe2x80x9d where the retainer 5 does not hinder insertion and withdrawal of the terminal fittings T. The assembled connector housing 1 and retainer 5 then are conveyed to a location where the terminal fittings T can be inserted into the cavities 3. The retainer 5 is pushed to a xe2x80x9cfull locking positionxe2x80x9d after all the terminal fittings T have been inserted into the cavities 3 to prevent withdrawal of the terminal fittings T.
A partial locking means 6 in the connector housing 1 holds the retainer 5 in the partial locking position before the terminal fittings T are inserted into the housing main body 2. However, another connector housing 1 or some other object may collide with the retainer 5 while the connector housings 1 are packed in a case and transported to the location where the terminal fittings T are inserted into the housing main body 2. Such a collision may inadvertently push the retainer 5 to the full locking position. In such a case, the retainer 5 must be pulled back to the partial locking position before the terminal fittings T can be inserted. Inadvertent movement of the retainer 5 to the full locking position can be avoided by locking the retainer 5 in the partial locking position with a stronger force. This, however, increases a burden on the operator who must manually push the retainer 5 to the full locking position after the terminal fittings T are inserted.
In view of the above problem, a protection wall 7 extends substantially to the height of the pushing portion of the retainer 5 when the retainer 5 is in the partial locking position in the connector housing 1, as shown in FIGS. 8(A) and 8(B). Thus, a direct collision with the pushing portion of the retainer 5 is less likely. However, it is still possible that a corner of another connector housing 1 or a projected part of another object may directly strike the pushing portion of the retainer 5 and inadvertently push the retainer 5 to the full locking position.
The present invention was developed to solve the above problem, and an object of the invention is to provide a connector housing in which a retainer does not inadvertently move to a full locking position even if another connector housing or external matter strikes against the retainer during transportation.
The invention is directed to a connector housing that comprises a housing main body with opposite front and rear ends and at least one cavity that extends between the ends. A terminal fitting is accommoodated in each cavity, and preferably is inserted from the rear of the housing main body. The housing main body also has a hollow portion that extends transversely through a surrounding wall of the housing main body and into communication with the cavity. A retainer can be inserted into the hollow portion and can be locked in at least first and second partial locking positions and in a full locking position. The terminal fitting can be inserted into or withdrawn from the cavity when the retainer is in either of the partial locking positions. However, the terminal fitting is locked securely in the cavity when the retainer is in the full locking position.
Each locking position represents a different depth of insertion of the retainer in the housing main body. More particularly, the retainer is at relatively shallow insertion depths for each of the partial locking positions. However, the full locking position represents a deeper insertion position for the retainer. A holding force for partially locking the retainer in the housing main body is larger in the first partial locking position than in the second partial locking position.
The holding force for holding the retainer in first partial locking position in the housing main body is set such that the retainer will not be pushed to the second partial locking position by an inadvertent collision with another connector housing or some other object during transportation. On the other hand, the holding force of the retainer in the second partial locking position is set such that the retainer can be pushed easily by hand to the full locking position. Accordingly, the retainer is prevented from moving inadvertently to the full locking position while the connector housing is transported to a location where a terminal fitting is inserted. The retainer can be moved from the first partial locking position to the second partial locking position by a pushing means of an automatic apparatus, and then can be pushed by hand to the full locking position after the terminal fittings are inserted.
The retainer may be locked in the first partial locking position by a first locking means that comprises mutually engageable locking projections and locking holes formed between side walls of the retainer and side walls of the hollow portion. The retainer also may be locked in the second partial locking position and the full locking position by a second locking means. The second locking means comprises full and partial locking projections that project from front and rear inner walls of the hollow portion in the housing main body. The full and partial locking projections can be engaged selectively with full and partial locking claws that project from the retainer for selectively locking the retainer in the full locking position and the second partial locking position. The first and second partial locking means preferably are set in different positions. Thus, the holding force for the retainer can be set stronger in the first partial locking position and weaker in the second partial locking position.
The partial locking claw of the retainer preferably contacts the partial locking projection of the housing main body when the retainer is locked in the first partial locking position by the first locking means. Thus an additional holding force is created for preventing the movement of the retainer in its inserting direction. This cooperation between the first and second locking means enables the holding force for the retainer in the first partial locking position to be even stronger.
The first locking claw no longer resists movement of the retainer when the retainer is inserted to the second partial locking position. As a result, the retainer can be pushed easily from the second partial locking position to the full locking position.
The full locking means of the retainer may contact an additional projection of the housing main body when the retainer is locked in the first partial locking position in the housing main body by the first locking means. This contact creates a supplemental holding force for preventing movement of the retainer in its inserting direction.
The holding force acting between the housing main body and the retainer to hold the retainer in the first partial locking position is set between about 50 and about 85 N, and preferably between about 60 and about 75 N. The holding force for the retainer in the second partial locking position is preferably set between about 15 and about 30 N.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings.